Stobart questions SIPTU organised strike action and plans to ballot staff

19/02/12 7,228 Views 74 Comments

A Stobart truck (File photo)

Image: Eddie Stobart/PA Archive/Press Association Images

TRANSPORT COMPANY STOBART Ireland has said that it will ballot its staff tomorrow after questioning a SIPTU-organised strike which is scheduled to take place on Thursday.

The British-based company is the main distributor for Tesco supermarkets in Ireland and a planned work stoppage by some of its 122 drivers this Thursday would potentially cause a major disruption to the retailer’s supply chain.

But Stobart today questioned the trade union’s announcement on Friday that staff planned to take industrial action over the transport company’s supposed refusal to discuss grievances over excessive working hours and health and safety issues.

Stobart said it has received strong feedback from drivers that they do not wish to strike while other drivers have said they are not aware of the industrial action. It now plans to ballot all 122 staff with proceedings to be overseen by a retired Assistant Garda Commissioner.

“We have spoken with as many drivers as possible over the past 48 hours and it is becoming increasingly clear that full support for SIPTU’s decision to strike does not exist,” a spokesperson for Stobart Ireland said.

“Many drivers have contacted us to say they were unaware of the SIPTU decision in the first place. Others have told us they want nothing to do with strike action. It is clear that drivers are confused and concerned.”

In a statement on Friday, SIPTU sector organiser Karan O’Loughlin, said the drivers would strike on Thursday to highlight their concerns although she did not expand on the specifics of the grievances.

“Eddie Stobart could solve its industrial relations problems by just listening to its drivers and doing something about the health and safety concerns they are raising,” she said.

“What the company don’t get is that their drivers have no alternative but to stop work in order to highlight their grievances. They are driving the length and breadth of the country and are tired from excessive working. They know this can’t continue and so should Eddie Stobart.”

O’Loughlin could not be reached for comment this afternoon.

Stobart Ireland says it will undertake a secret and independent ballot at its facility in Ballymun in Dublin tomorrow with Martin Donnellan, a retired Assistant Garda Commissioner, overseeing proceedings.

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Comments (74 Comments)

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Desmond O'Toole 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 127 53

Who’s paying for the former Asst Garda Commissioner’s time? A company ballot that is ‘independent’ … pull the other one. Maybe Stobart should take the concerns of its own drivers about excessive driving and tiredness at the wheel a touch more seriously, then it’s own staff wouldn’t feel the need to stop work in order to be heard by their own management.

Reply
- William Grogan 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 26 88
  
  The whole idea in using the Garda is to ensure fairness.
- Jim Brady 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 11 81
  
  Can’t quite see what your gripe is here?
  Almost certainly the company will pay, it’s unlikely that SIPTU would.
  I would also surmise that the presence of the retired comissioner lends credibility to proceedings and prevents suggestions of impropriety or lack of “independence”.
- Jon S W Rainey 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 9 35
  
  In all fairness a peace commissioner do oversee also. Just so long as its fair.
- Desmond O'Toole 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 79 26
  
  @jim … Company claims that a so-called ballot is “independent” even though it is held on company premises, conducted by the company on its own terms and overseen by someone, who if you are right, may be paid by the company.
  Why not ask the question, Jim, as to why industrial relations have gotten so bad at Stobarts that it’s own drivers feel they have to strike to have their health and safety concerns taken seriously by their own management? Do we really have to wait until a Stobart lorry leaves the road or crashes into another vehicle, killing the driver or other road users, for the company to take this issue seriously? If such an event happened would Stobart’s response be to ask the same Asst Garda Comm back to conduct an “independent” investigation into how things went so terribly wrong?
- Howard Cooley 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 8 99
  
  The son of a friend of mine drives for Stobarts in the UK and he says that the company insist on drivers adhering to correct driving hours and rest breaks. I don’t know if thats the case here.
- Jim Brady 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 15 80
  
  Reading the report, I’m inferring a tale of SIPTU interference in an otherwise largely content workforce. The ballot will determine exactly how happy/unhappy they really are.
- Ultan Quirke 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 13 36
  
  Do you work for Stobart, or know anyone who does Desmond? If not, it’s probably best not to preach on an issue that you know little about.
HelloGoogleTracking! 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 6 37

Sounds fair to me, of the drivers support the action, that will be apparent in the secret ballot. The only possible loser is the company.

Unless the integrity of the vetting is in question, if so why? If not, no problem right?

Reply
Jon S W Rainey 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 26 150

Well perhaps if the drivers are not happy to strike, Karen O’Loughlin should resign her position for shit stirring and putting jobs at risk. Feckin unions, shower of beards!

Reply
Frank2521 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 22 121

SiIPTU – the same union that pay their executives the same as the senior civil servants. Benchmarked go the Croke Park deal for themselves. To think for one minute they care about anybody else other than themselves would be rather stupid. They only care about subscriptions from the employed. The unemployed and others on benefit( Illess or disabity) are suffering as the money being paid to the civil servemts and huge pensions orchestrated by them is guarenteed to keep the poor worse off for the next 30 years.

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 107 23
  
  So you have absolutely nothing to say on the actual story!
Mark Rodgers 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 5 79

Am I missing something here? Surely there was a meeting of all drivers to discuss their grievances and then they held a ballot to decide on strike action?
If this didn’t happen are we seeing SIPTU simply trying to establish their relevance in a world that doesn’t care any more but particularly after they have been found to have had their grubby hand on the cookie jar for some time!

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 84 25
  
  Irish trade unions are obliged by law to hold secret ballots before undertaking strike or any other industrial action (Industrial Relations Act 1990, section 14 refers). If a trade union does not adhere strictly to the law on balloting it puts itself at risk of legal action and the imposition of severe penalties by the courts. There are no such legal requirements governing any ballot that a company might organisation on an IR issue.
  SIPTU will have followed the law on balloting precisely. The company on the other hand is clearly playing games. The question we should, be asking is why Stobart’s own drivers have been driven to strike action in order to get their own management to listen to their concerns on excessive driving and tiredness at the wheel.
- Norman Hunter 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 66
  
  I think your right Mark.I’m a member of Siptu and looks like Jack O Connor only heard about the household charge.Suppose he had to see which way the wind was blowing.
michael egan 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 50 42

For their own sake drivers should not take part in the company organised ballot.It’s sole purpose is to divide the drivers and have them in the palm of their hand.Workers to have any chance of fair treatment must stick together if they dont they will regret it in the long run.

Reply
Martin Stapleton 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 6 109

I’m no fan of a Company taking over haulage in Ireland while Irish Haulage Companies go to the wall at a daily rate but siptu shit stirring should not be tolerated anywhere! We have all seen the results of this sort of stupid self indulgence behaviour by so called officials in the past. If a work force is content they should be left alone and fair play to them. Hard work never hurt anyone and these drivers in my experience are always courteous and very well turned out. Keep safe.

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Pete Conneely 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 14 60

In England , Stobarts are the lowest paid truckers in the biggest haulage company in the Uk . Tenders for contracts are ridiculously low as to gain footholds in all aspects of work . Haulage companies in the uk are folding at an alarming rate due to high operating costs and unrealistic targets set by supermarkets etc … Ireland you are welcome to em but at your peril be it . Good branding and tv docs do not make up for the way they run their business … Their drivers will soon learn

Reply
Involvedfm 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 17 71

Just got off the phone from two drivers who are represented by SIPTU…
They are adamant that all their colleagues are furious about SIPTU deciding to try and destroy the good will of the drivers against the company…
They personally feel that the Union reps are not in fact representing the members and that this action has not been agreed (I REPEAT NOT BEEN AGREED WITH THE MEMBERS)
I am sure the union can post a reply but its seems that the members are incensed with this slant SIPTU are selling…
SIPTU are indeed in trouble it seems from the drivers…
I would love to see a good outcome for all…

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 6
  
  Tha’s a LIE and a pretty outrageous one at that. Every trade union is obliged by LAW to conduct a secret ballot of members prior to initiating any industrial action whatsoever. Assuming you actually did speak to two union drivers at Stobarts, and we have no way of verifying that of course, they would have had the opportunity to participate in that ballot. Similarly, the workplace representatives are ELECTED by their fellow workers, unlike the company heads who have failed to take the drivers’ concerns on excessive driving and tiredness at the wheel at all seriously. No trade union or group of workers enjoy taking strike action. You lose pay and it can cause damage to the company’s relationship with its customers. It is a measure of just how far the drivers at Stobarts have been pushed that they have agreed to take this action.
- Eggfuel 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 2
  
  Desmond it seems you consider an alternative opinion from your own a lie…
  It says a lot about you and not in a good way..
  As you point out a secret ballet is open to the same interpretation as this persons statement…
  Let’s not enflame a situation where SIPTU is already struggling to control…
  Regards
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 1
  
  The lie, eggfuel, is in the claim that SIPTU did not secure the agreement of its members in Stobarts. The law is very clear on the requirement for a secret ballot prior to the taking of any industrial action by trade unions. There are no ifs, buts or maybes on this legal requirement and it is quite wrong to claim otherwise.
  SIPTU members were properly consulted by the union on what action to take and all had the opportunity to participate in the ballot for industrial action. If there was even the hint of any breach of SIPTU’s legal obligation the management at Stobarts would have been off to the High Court at very high speed indeed to injuct SIPTU against organising any industrial action.
  The comment at the foot of this thread by the wife of one of Stobarts’ drivers also gives the lie to the claims made by the anonymous ‘Involvedfm’.
Matt Donovan 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 63

Typical SIPTU self serving shenanigans! Nothing new except that they’re seeking to look after themselves at the expense of the ordinary union member who pay the grossly inflated salaries of those at the top of a top heavy organisation which does nothing but cowtow to official government (Troika) policy.

Reply
Gerry Ryan 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 8 31

The same retired garda should be sent to Stobarts UK operation to find out if the conditions for the drivers are the same here as in the Home market.

Then he could have a look at tesco and do the same.

Now that would make interesting reading. Unlikely to happen.

Perhaps, The Journal.ie could do an independent report and as this site is probably the only place in the irish media that wouldn’t fear a loss of advertising from such a report.

Reply
Begrudgy 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 15 72

SIPTU Leaders should be Hung, Drawn and Quartered. Bastards the lot of them.

Reply
Paul Hardy 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 36 17

If Stobart really thought there was fraud, they would go to a working garda, not a retired one. This is nothing more than a desperate PR stunt. And any driver who doesn’t want to strike has an easy option open to them – not to strike. Simples.

Reply
- Ultan Quirke 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 21
  
  And lose their union membership? That’s not as straightforward an option as you have made it out to be.
- Ultan Quirke 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 30
  
  Also, I was under the impression that working Gardai are not permitted to do other work in the same line of business as the force.
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 2
  
  I don’t think you got the point that Paul was making. If the company thinks that fraud has taken place in the union ballot or they think that SIPTU did not follow the law in calling this action then they can talk to the guards or go to the courts. That the comapny has failed to do that speaks volumes about the proper procedures being followed by SIPTU.
- Eggfuel 21/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 1
  
  I see latest story proves me correct and the misguided desmond full of
  Union gobshite.
  Lol
Paula Doran 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 25 20

I have experienced a similar situation before. Of course staff are going to tell management that they are happy, they fear for their jobs.
This could backfire seriously on Stobarts

Reply
Frank2521 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 51

Jack O Connor is paid approx E485,000 per year from his different income streams ie Boards, committees, quangos etc. to think he has an idea how the average worker gets by day to day is redicilous.

Reply
- Paul Hardy 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 35 6
  
  This is simply untrue. Jack O’Connor is paid €124,000 and receives no income from boards etc.
- Paul Hardy 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 35 4
  
  This is simply untrue Jack O’Connor has a €124,000 salary and no income from boards etc.
- Dario Fo 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 19
  
  So you keep saying Paul….
- Byron Smith 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 24
  
  even at 124k basic, that is pretty huge for someone running a non profit with a set structure, no growth targets and fully paid expenses
- Ger McDunphy 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 4 3
  
  Back-up your claims Frank or forever be known as a bluffer.
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 2
  
  Thatg’s a LIE, Frank. Shame on you.
- Ger McDunphy 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 2
  
  Hit and run so Frank? Fair enuff, we know ur sort. I’ve no time for Siptu, but If u state something as fact u should back it up.
Mark Rodgers 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 6 23

Perhaps we should just sit back and wait for the result a ballot among employees which Management would be unlikely to risk unless there are some serious SIPTU shenanigans going on here.
The drivers should be satisfied that the engagement of a retired senior Garda to oversee the exercise will have a high level of integrity.
So much for Mr O’Tooles bar stool interpretation of the law!

Reply
- Paul Hardy 19/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 23 10
  
  There has been a ballot of union members already.
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 5
  
  You really don’t get how the Act works on this do you, Mark? Unions are onbliged by industrial relations legislation to hold secret ballots before ANY and EVERY form of industrial action. SIPTU did this. The fact that Stobarts are not challenging the secret ballot that SIPTU held demonstrates clearly that the union and its members at the company are on very solid legal ground. Instead, the company wants to organise its own ballot, with its own question, on its own premises with its own scrutineer … and Stobarts claims this is an “independent” process … LMAO.
Mark Rodgers 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 8 17

What percentage of the drivers are SIPTU members.
How come we have posts above that seem to emanate from SIPTU members who know nothing of the stoppage.?
Are you a Union Official ? In other words are you speaking officially or unofficially?

Reply
- Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 4 2
  
  94% (80) voted yes to the strike action
  Throughout the Stobart group 80% of the driver are in SIPTU
Dhakina's Sword 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 24

Whatever ” Jack the lad ” is paid, where has the nearly half a billion in subscriptions over the last decade gone?. Where’s the loot Jack?. Are we so easily fooled, that all a person has to do, is to grow a traditional old fashioned beard, that was worn by genuine representatives of working people in the past, and we believe this?. The recession does not appear to have had any effect upon the ability of SIPTU, to continue to demand, pre recession priced subscriptions, when a fraction of this is needed. Something, is rotten in the state of Ireland.

Reply
Michael J Hartnett 19/02/12 #

Report this comment 14 14

How the hell can they be tired from excessive driving. Stobarts dont do that. Anyway its great to see the haulage industry making the headlines in Ireland but ironic that the haulier is british. What about supporting Irish companies Tesco. We had Irish hauliers doing this work & Stobarts cut the rates. However as predicted the end is nigh stobart. This is the beginning of it. Well tesco the best hauliers in Europe are Irish so @ least ye have something to fall back on.

Reply
- 3christian3 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 13
  
  Well said Michael! Let’s hope that the Irish hauliers bring the capital to a standstill in the upcoming protest and that people understand that the country cannot survive without hauliers who are being hung, drawn and quartered by excessive fuel and other expenses.
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 5
  
  Michael says: “How the hell can they be tired from excessive driving. Stobarts dont do that.” ..
  Stobarts’ own drivers beg to differ!
Lawrence McKenna 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 10 14

Have been involved in many union ballots in the past. The laws they have to abide by are clear. Any breach and the vote will be challenged for certain. This is the company fuckin around. It completely undermines the representative body. For the drivers future terms and conditions I hope they don’t participate. I have a gut feeling participation in the company’s ballot will be minimal.

Reply
Byron Smith 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 14

hours are regulated, drivers seem happy, a union trying to make a point that they still have power, risking jobs for their own ends…

Reply
- Byron Smith 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 8
  
  and before you say it, I do support people having their rights protected, but it is a fairly lame argument… SIPTU should lobby the government over working hours or conditions if they feel they are unsuitable in law
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 3
  
  Byron says, “drivers seem happy”
  If Stobarts’ drivers were happy about the excessive driving and tirdness at the wheel they wouldn’t have voted for industrial action.
- Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 2
  
  94% (80) voted yes to the strike action!
  Throughout the Stobart group 80% of the driver are in SIPTU
john joe 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 6 10

Finally someone standing up to unions.

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 5
  
  UNIONS … the people who brought you the weekend, a living wage, paid holidays, parental leave, health and safety protection at work, rest breaks durign the working day … Yeah, thank god someone is standing up to the unions!
foggy_lad 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 3 10

What percentage of drivers were balloted? Were all drivers or just union members allowed to vote? How many voted and how many we’re not informed of the vote? What questions were asked in the ballot and how many languages were the ballot papers printed in?(many drivers 1st language is not english) Unions can have a funny way of informing certain groups about ballot days and times etc if they want to sway voting a certain way.

Smells like only a small number of Stobart drivers might be in the union and not all of them knew about the ballot.

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 3
  
  The procuderes to be followed for ballotting people before any industrial action are set out in LAW. A union can’t pick and choose what procedures it follows in a ballot for action. The fact that the company has chosen to play these sort of silly games and not take the union to court demonstrates quite clearly that SIPTU and its members complied precisely with the law on ballotting for industrial action.
Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 5 26

My husband works for Eddie Stobart.

One thing, its not about “typical union” or “they are driving legally”,its about running drivers into the ground.
My husband is working one week, days, night, days, nights,nights,days and starting at different. times. There is no consistency to his sleep pattern and his family life. A tired driver is a dangerous driver!!! I just hope none of these white/green trailers run over your family car!!
Also the lads only find out the night before if they are on nights or days. Lads have even worked – 1st shift 0900hrs second shift 1700hrs (nights)

Its abut consistency – there is plenty of work there and plenty of driver, this can be achieved easily!

Reply
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 7
  
  Thanks for the insight, Abbie. You hit the nail firmly on the head. A safe working environment for Stobarts’ drivers is not only about their own safety, as important as that is … it’s about the safety of the rest of us on the road as well.
Michael J Hartnett 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 8 5

@abbie & desmond. Well this is nothing to do with stobart thats the tachograph law. According to the rsa (vosa) & the eu this is scientifically proven to work. If followed its not possible to be tired thats its purpose however if it can be proven that its all incorrect I suggest that the tachograph law be changed but good luck with that.

Reply
- Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 3 4
  
  “its not possible to be tired”
  
  Are you for real? So, you never been tired driving before?
Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 6

News Release published by SIPTU today
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
20th February

SIPTU calls on Eddie Stobart to end its intimidation of drivers

SIPTU has called on the management of the distribution company Eddie Stobart to end its attempts to coerce drivers from taking a day of industrial action on Thursday (23rd February), which is aimed at highlighting legitimate health and safety grievances.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Karan O’Loughlin said; “Management at Eddie Stobart is today (Monday, 20th February) undertaking a hastily arranged, unnecessary ballot of drivers which is aimed at undermining their decision to take industrial action.”

Karan O’Loughlin said the ballot was another example of the “union-busting” tactics being employed by the management of the British based distribution company.

She said; “In an attempt at American style union busting, management at Eddie Stobart has tried to round up agency drivers to pass Thursday’s one day picket. It has also tried to bring drivers over from the UK to pass the picket but none of these tactics have been successful. Now they have resorted to marching drivers up to the office one by one in an effort to force them to change their mind. This follows a serious intimidation campaign run by the company over the last week with drivers being threatened with lay off and dismissal if their day of action proceeded.

“This is outrageous behaviour and completely unnecessary. This company needs to engage collectively with the drivers to resolve the problems of driver fatigue, inadequate rest and sub-standard conditions of employment.

“Despite the actions of their employer SIPTU members at Eddie Stobart remain steadfast in their view that they cannot continue working the way they currently do. They have complied with all the terms of the Industrial Relations Act and are perfectly entitled to take the industrial action that they have already balloted on.”

Eddie Stobart holds the distribution contract for Tesco supermarkets in Ireland and the work stoppage is expected to cause major disruption to the retailer’s supply chain.

Reply
- Mark Rodgers 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 1 4
  
  Again I ask the question of anyone who has the information;
  What percentage of Stobart drivers are members of SIPTU.?
  The Union statement is quite typical of the normal adversarial union management type and I would accept little from either side at the moment……………….the drivers will talk either through the Company mediated ballot or on Thursday at the Company’s gates.
  For those who attack the idea of a Company ballot we should ask as to why the Union ballot can have higher levels of integrity. Already on these pages there is third party information to suggest that SIPTU drivers did not know that a stoppage had been called for Thursday.
- Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 6 6
  
  94% (80) voted yes to the strike action!!
  Throughout the Stobart group 80% of the driver are in SIPTU
- Abbie McHugh 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 7
  
  Driver knew there was a ballot. As you may know there has been bulling and intimidation from Stobart management before the ballot. Drivers were advised by the union to plead ignorance to protect themselves. That’s is why the company have come to this conclusion
- Desmond O'Toole 20/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 3
  
  @Mark .. a union ballot is more reliable because it must be held under arrangements governed by law with a company only too prepared to rush to the courts if anyone so much as puts a ballotting foot out of place. The company ballot is held on the company’s own terms, with their own question and their own ballotting arrangements, supervised by their own srutineer. There are no legal requirements for transparency, security or secrecy with a company ballot.
Joe Kelly 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 0 4

Mark, what part of 94% don’t you understand

Reply
Michael J Hartnett 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 7 7

@abbie. No I have never been tired while adhereing to the tacho legislation. Maybe these drivers need to have a medical examination because conditions such as sleep disorders & such. Does stobart have a hr department to discuss the harassment. I think theres more at play than whats in the media. Drivers driving tired sounds a bit strange Im sure the rsa would be very interested in investigating these allegations

Reply
Mark Rodgers 20/02/12 #

Report this comment 5 3

Perhaps this issue would be better resolved between the two sides rather than being complicated by our comments but both sides have put their positions into public view.
Did the Union hold a ballot to call a stoppage or did they ballot the workers to allow the Union take the next steps. In other words the escalation decision was decided by the Union rather the drivers?

Reply
- Abbie McHugh 21/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 5 6
  
  Drivers had total control in the matter.
Johanna Whyte 22/02/12 #

Report this comment 1 3

i work at the airport and an Aer Arann flight has just arrived with over 40 Stobart Drivers. I think there’s another one due in later with more.

Reply
- tina 22/02/12 #
  
  Report this comment 2 1
  
  Johanna, do you mean that drivers from stobart in the uk have been flown over?
Mike James 22/02/12 #

Report this comment 5 7

stobarts have asked drivers in the uk to go over all expenses paid and to cross the picket line, i have heard that there will be 48 drivers from the north west going, dont know about the rest of the company. i hope the drivers based in ireland stick to there guns and fight the company all the way they have been getting away with bullying drivers for far to long and its not just happening in ireland its happening at other sites to.

Reply
tina 23/02/12 #

Report this comment 3 6

84 in total have been brought over, are being put up in hotels, plus got bonuses. great way to try resolve things stobart. Disgusting tactics from stobart. None of this would be happening if they had sat down with the drivers instead of ignoring them.

Reply

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Stobart questions SIPTU organised strike action and plans to ballot staff